Possible to be misdiagnosed? Am I in denial?

[nbelval]

Hello,

I'll try to be quick with my story...

I've had joint pain for over a year now and it has become progressively worse. Finally went in to see a rheumatologist and at my first visit he was convinced I had RA. Put me on 25mg of prednisone and have had some improvement over the past 3 weeks. He also ordered a lot of lab work.
Today I had a follow up appt. He says I have Crohn's. My Prometheus lab results came back positive for it.
I do have a "sensitive" tummy. I was diagnosed 13 years ago with IBS and so I've always attributed any disturbances to that. I go from bouts of constipation to occasional diarrhea. Very gassy and have a very offensive odor (sorry if that's TMI) most of the time no matter what I eat. Dairy, Fried & junk foods will give me diarrhea as well. So to me I have very minor digestive upset but horrible arthritis in my hands/fingers, feet, knees, shoulders, elbows, ankles etc. Hands and feet are the worst.
I honestly feel like I have much more of the symptoms of RA vs. Crohn's.
I have an appointment coming up with a GI doctor so I guess I will find out more then. The rheumatologist has put me on plaquenil for the arthritis, but again he says it's not RA.
So, I guess did anyone else start off this way? Is it possible I don't have Crohn's? Am I in denial? LOL
I just feel like I should have more symptoms of it, if I'm positive for it! I don't want to complain that my symptoms are nothing since I see some people are really suffering with this. Just really confused that I go in for one thing and come out with something that I really don't feel like I have!
Thanks for any input!

Nicole

 

[araceli]

Hello. Welcome to the forum. I guess the best way to confirm if it is Crohn's, will be with a colonoscopy/endoscopy. Yes it is possible to have Crohn's and not have the typical symptoms. Also it is possible to have Arthoropathy Associated with IBD. There are some people that have joint pain when they are in a flare. Others will have pain independently from IBD activity. My son developed joint pain, no big issues with belly but since his sister has Crohn's, A colo/endo was done. Biopsies came positive for crohn's. He does not have same symptoms as his sister. Hopefully you find some answers with the GI. Best wishes and feel free to ask questions.

 

[nbelval]

I was really hoping to avoid an endoscopy/colonoscopy. Especially if I don't have much for symptoms.
My grandmother had a tear from one a few years back and a nasty infection after. So I'm a little paranoid.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Crohn's can be mild and manifest itself in different ways. You will find some here only have diarrhea, others are constipated while others have normal bowels. Some bleed, some don't. Some have pain and others don't. So it's impossible to say everyone with crohn's will have the common Inflammatory Bowel Disease symptoms.

Could you have been misdiagnosed? Of course, mistakes occur. I think a colonoscopy is the most effective test to see what's going on inside. If you are seriously concerned you may have gotten a false diagnosis, you have every right as a patient to ask for another opinion.

 

[723crossroads]

If the crohn's is in the small bowel, a colonoscopy won't show it. Then you maybe asked to take a Pillcam test. A camera in a capsule you swallow and hangout 8 hrs, till it passes through your body. Then they can see the small intestine and all the way down. That is my next option, even though in 2011 I had crohn's in the colon and ileum that was found in a colonoscopy. Last colonoscopy showed none. But I have been displaying classic symptoms, so I believe it is in the small bowel too. Best wishes to you!!

 

[nbelval]

Thanks for the input! I guess there isn't much to do except wait for my GI appointment and go from there. Until then I'll keep on researching!